Was this already posted? Mika B. got through to the ACA toll free # live at Morning Joe a couple

[CTyankee]

of days ago. Joe was huffing and puffing about how AWFUL the ACA rollout was. In the middle of his rant, Mika pulled out her phone, dialed the number and within 75 seconds got an agent. "They referred you to the website, right?" guest Ronan Farrow asked. She said no, she got an agent. "They were ready to sign me up."

Nicolle Wallace got a sick smile on her face and you know she was dying inside.

&feature=youtu.be

Sorry I missed the show that day...that'll teach me to leave town...

[libdem4life]

1. See why we can't trust those women? They just don't mind when you let 'em out of the house.

All thinking for themselves and such. Good job Mika. Joe did have a funny comeback though, which is about one can say about that him, at least on that one.

[CTyankee]

3. He had to cover his ass so he did it with the Christie joke.

I bet they changed the subject real fast...

[libdem4life]

4. Got to hand it to him, he recovered quickly. It was the "less than a minute" gasp of the RW person

that was barely audible.

[CTyankee]

8. You mean MIchelle? She looked a little dumbstruck as her voice trailed off..."Mika just got through"

totally blowing her point which was that the repubs don't like the idea of doing healthcare....THAT was embarrassing...

[libdem4life]

9. That would be the one. I try hard not to remember their names as they or their temporary media

status are irrelevant to the larger public good. And thanks to the DU poster who brought us non-TV folks the clip. Made my day.

[CTyankee]

11. You're welcome. I found it posted on Facebook by a good friend of mine in WI...

so I copied the source and hoped it hadn't already been posted.

I love it when stuff like this happens...

[libdem4life]

14. One other comment...I'd always prefer to see information that is really, really important

or relevant posted more than once, because many miss it before it fades down the list. When in doubt, post it! You can always take it down if someone objects and join their thread.

[CTyankee]

17. Yep. I was out of town that day so I wasn't sure. It's such a good catch!

But you are right. I'm just amazed that no one here saw this and posted it, it was so great!

[rhett o rick]

2. Joe is such a tool. I dont know how he can have a show. nm

[questionseverything]

5. the problems with the aca website

have served as a distraction for the real problems with the aca law which are the costs

the older folks pay 3 times what a young person pays and then the smokers costs are doubled from there...15-18% of the country still smokes and about 15% of the countries population is between the 50-65 year range..while i am sure there would be some overlap in those groups this seems like a lot of people to "punish" with high premiums if dems are gonna win future elections

[jtuck004]

7. Can you cite a real world example which shows that this is any different from what health insurance

cos have been doing all along? The premiums for older people have ALWAYS been much higher because they use more care, and within the past couple of years they have started adding surcharges for smokers - WA state, a big blue state, has notified their employees that such a surcharge will begin next year on their state employee insurance.

What you are describing is typical. And the ACA is very likely to help contain costs to some extent, which are in fact spiraling out of control. Still pays too much profit to private insurance, is probably unsustainable in the long term, but better than leaving us to the tender mercies of the grasping, greedy health insurance cos.


Oh, and just fyi, I read this on a tip line: For the person who is concerned about the surcharge for smoking, they should be aware there is no surcharge for heroin, meth or crack use. I'm not too sure their advice is good for one in the long term, but it is factual, afaik.

[libdem4life]

13. If you have to ask, the reply would be too long. If it doesn't apply to you, don't ruin it for the

rest with "tip lines".

[jtuck004]

15. Albert Einstein pointed out that "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it

well enough."

I love quotes that are on point. And this one could get a lot of use around here.

[libdem4life]

19. False equivalency. That's why people study things, go to school, you know, get educated.

How about you quick as a bunny sum up, oh say, intermediate algebra. Or, how do you teach a 7 year old to read...I'm waiting.

Wade into healthcare with your beloved quotes, and make simple what's the treatment for cancer, say for a start. What would Einstein say? Clock's ticking.

Or business ... The Napkin Close is cute in sales, too, but you better have a whole lot more where that came from to get the signature, the deal and the commission, let alone get or keep the job.

Here's one. "He who thinks himself wise should not open his mouth and prove the opposite."

Peace.

[jtuck004]

39. I'm noit the one claiming to know it all. That's on you to prove, though reading you

further would clearly be a waste of time.

cya

[mwooldri]

20. Unless you're working for a large corporation that self-insures its employees.

The only age discriminating factor with my employer's health coverage is when you get Medicare, and that's on the part of the employee... would it be better off to go Medicare plus a supplemental elsewhere... or pay both Medicare and employee contributions too.

The employee at 21 pays the same contributions as the employee at 64 - if they are on the same plan, live in the same state, and they both smoke or both don't smoke.

We get offered at least one basic plan and a premier plan (similar to bronze and gold on the exchanges - I guess). In some states employees get a choice of carrier too - generally where the most employees live.

But in the private sector - definitely age was and is used as a factor to determine rates. It might have been the case with smaller companies who don't have the luxury of self insuring its employees and having to purchase a group policy.

[CTyankee]

21. which is why we have Medicare in the first place. If there were no federal health insurance program

for seniors, you would see a whole swath of Americans felled by age related infirmities.

I will say that from my own experience signing up for SS and Medicare, which I dreaded doing, was a pleasant surprise. I got through to a very knowledgeable agent who answered all my questions and "hand held" me through the process. I was so amazed. that was a few years ago...

[questionseverything]

33. i am not sure telling dems

stop smoking tobacco,smoke crack instead is the best idea but you did make me laugh ,thanks

but i agree the aca is no different than what the grasping greedy insurance companies have always done,now they are just getting to do it with tax payer dollars (subsides)

another thing i am worried about is this,

grantcart has done a lot of posting about his new great plan(i am happy for him) but he also said,he paid 7 grand in taxes on about 50 grand in income....that had to be mostly ss,now with his subsidy he will get 3600 back toward his premiums...isnt that a back door way to gut ss?

[jtuck004]

41. <G> Thought it might. In some ways they have always had the subsidies, whether through a

lack of regulation that allowed them to steal, or taxpayers footing the bill for coverage in hospitals that they would have provided in a more just world.

At this point I think nearly everything is a back door way to gut SS, but I also think SS is only a portion of what we are going to lose. We have forgotten how this country grew, and adopted the framing of reich wing that says the way forward is to cut away the fat - which mostly means our neighbors - while politicians profit regardless of the direction.

Given that we have an economy being propped up by so much government largess, however, and regardless of the fact that we have a fiat currency, I don't believe it can go on forever with people thinking that the US $ is holier than everyone else's money. I think at some point we will find that when we no longer produce much substance, which is what happens when you don't invest in your people, we will get overrun by those who do. And the people who are alive today are going to suffer an incredible amount of pain as this moves forward and what they think they have, which is really nothing but debt on top of debt, evaporates before their eyes.

Then again, I may be too optimistic.

[bullwinkle428]

12. We get United Healthcare through our (huge) employer, and smokers pay

twice what non-smokers pay in our monthly premiums - i.e., nothing to do with "Obamacare".

[SoapBox]

24. My huge employer as well, is making people certify that they are non-smokers or enroll

in a cessation course.

If they fail to certify or stop...they will pay more starting in 2014.

I really do have to laugh at many a co-worker, that feel what the company wants for 2014 (1. Fill out a health survey, 2. Certify that you are a non-smoker or stop smoking and 3. Get a physical) is a big CONSPIRACY and nothing more than an invasion into their PERSONAL business.

ROFL...Ya right...they want the company to suck it up and pay the vast majority of their health care but they won't do the above to get a BIG break on premium increases. 2015 will include the above plus getting your BP, AC1, cholestorl and BMI at or below some set standards. AND, if you don't meet those standards, you can STILL get the premium reduction by doing an online course or one by phone. It's so easy to save!

I work with a whole mess'a....idiots.

[wilt the stilt]

18. I bought insurance on the open market for years

and here is how it works.

every 5 years you go into a different age group each getting higher as you age
39-44
44-49
49-54
54-59
etc.

a family plan is not really a family plan it is actually 4 separate plans. each individual has it's own deductible and out of pocket. the only combined out of pocket is the children
i was paying well over a $1,000 maybe $1100 for family of four
If everyone got sick it would be $16,500 out of pocket
$2,000 deductible per person $5,500 out of pocket per person children $5,500 combined
70% of some fictitious number that they call customary after $2,000. 6 visits to a doctor per year with a $40 copay,after that you pay out of pocket against your deductible.
$300 deductible for prescription then $30-$45 per prescription
no dental
ne vision.
sucked eggs

That was 5 years ago and this was the most popular plan of BCBS for individuals
that plan today has to be $1500-$1600 per month

Next time you are talking to a RWNJ ask them how an individual plan works. When you explain it to them their jaw drops.

[questionseverything]

31. yes it is how the insurance industry always worked

get peoples money when they are young and healthy (don't use it)

price them out as they get older

so nothing has changed..i expected better,my mistake i guess

[SolutionisSolidarity]

43. Things have changed - now there are legal limits to constrain their excesses.

It used to be that there was no limit on how much an insurer could raise your rates based on your age. Now there is one. I'd rather have single payer, but if we can regulate insurers like a public utility, that's a positive step. Why be negative about a law that greatly expands medicaid, forces insurers to cover adult children up to age 26 in family plans, eliminates pre-existing conditions, provides subsidies for low income people to afford insurance, caps out of pocket maximums, and caps insurer profits?

[questionseverything]

49. not being negative,just honest

there are positive things in the aca but the cost is going to be prohibitive for many,especially for those over 50

i have played with the aca calculators and if a household has to use their insurance and hits the out of pocket, the cost ends up being around 26 % of income,what world do you live in where you have this kind of disposable income available?

if no one points out his,how can it be fixed?

when current admin campaigned it was on a public option,not as good as single payer but still those premiums would be 16-17% lower than what private insurers offer,as there would be no need for profit

[Schema Thing]

45. Things have changed

there are now limits to how much more they can charge for age.



You know what you should question, questionseverything? Yourself.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

25. This is how twisted Americans are....

We are so conditioned to think of MONEY that we actually believe that the ONLY way to have health care is to have health insurance and the only ones who should have health insurance are people who won't use it because they don't need health care.

This makes it so we see everyone who is sick as costing US money. The classic cry of the Right Winger being, "Why should I pay for YOUR health care?"

[irisblue]

28. ya know....

most of us took German in high school a long time ago cannot translate easily from 1930 nazi posters.....dude...really?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

29. That one has been reposted so many times that most everyone knows what it says.

[irisblue]

37. not to be snotty

my last German class was in 1975 in Ypsilanti, a long time past ....since I don't know the translation (Google translator isn't helping in a line by line translation) please tell me what it says.... truly before this afternoon, I never saw this poster

[Spitfire of ATJ]

40. Translation....

"This genetically-ill person costs the community during his life 60,000 RM. People, this is also your money.

Read the "New Nation", the monthly publication of the chamber for racial policy of the NSDAP."

[irisblue]

42. thank you

and wow...matthew 25:40....."Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
wow...knowing what happened to so many in Germany/Eastern Eurpe 1933 to 1945....wow...just wow

[Spitfire of ATJ]

44. Hitler used the "True German" stuff the way Palin uses "Real Americans"...

Also, the Nazis used "family values" a lot.



I guess having creepy eyed little boys was valued.

[Javaman]

6. As a democrat, I feel immensely smug right now. :) nt

[CTyankee]

10. I know how you feel. I thought that was pretty nifty myself...

I bet Joe blew a gasket at the next break. Michelle Wallace probably bolted to the Ladies Room and threw up...she was made such a fool of, right on air.

[DeSwiss]

16. K&R

[Botany]

22. I got through on monday in the AM @ healthcare.gov ...... it took me 2 minutes

"they" have nothing end of story.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023893931

[CTyankee]

48. that was awesome!

Your experience is exactly what the repubs DON'T want to hear! I do notice, however, that the Dems are fighting back. Just this morning Mika was saying "the website isn't flowers.com) in response to some idiot congressperson's statement at the hearing yesterday...

The other thing I notice is that part of the Dem pushback is pointing to the success of the state exchanges but not to just disparage the federal website, but rather to point out how this can work and is working and everybody should take a deep breath...

[Hekate]

23. Just when you think that girl is nothing but eye candy, BAZINGA!

Thank you Mika. Thank you very much.

[libodem]

26. A bit of push back

FINALLY. *Exhale* I've been holding my breath for3 years now.

[CTyankee]

27. that was a nice moment. I thought it encapsulated the whole thing perfectly.

And what a simple gesture it took to do it! Mika just picked up her phone and dialed the number. Simple!

[libodem]

30. Sometimes her silence implies

That she is complicit in thinking like a troglodyte.

[CTyankee]

32. Maybe she just got fed up with his bs. He was again being pretty obnoxious, beating this

dead horse.

This pretty much sealed the case for the Dems, right there on Morning Joe. Kind of poetic justice, really.

[Kingofalldems]

34. False flag operation!

Benghazi!

[CTyankee]

35. Right! The whole thing was orchestrated by the White House!

"OK, Mika, you call the Obamacare 800 number at precisely 7:16 am Tuesday. We'll have someone by the phone to pick up right away!"

[CTyankee]

36. And on another note: Ronan Farrow's smile looks just like

FRANK SINATRA!

Look at this clip closely. On the split screen, bottom left, you see him smiling. That's Frank all right...

[IronLionZion]

38. People have used paper and phone for many decades before websites existed

Complaining instead of helping to find a solution is the real train wreck.

My favorite irony is that people in liberal states are having a positive experience with this. My condolences to folks who live in republican controlled states.

[blue14u]

46. The video and reactions

are priceless..,,Mika debunked everyone of them on the spot!!!!

Love it!!!



Joe likes to hear himself talk..... IMO I think he is on something

that makes him forget there are guests there to contribute..

Ronan looks good. I will check out his new show starting in January...

I want to see what he brings to the table!

BTW.. he has great teeth!!!

[silenttigersong]

47. SINGLE PAYER

is going to happen ,so this Kabuki newz- reality crap ,debate ,is basically much like the Kardashians.